Fixing a Shattered Heart
by Hrse-Ridr1997
Summary: Secret of the Wings from Clarion's POV. Even after two-hundred years, Clarion is still heartbroken over leaving Milori. What happens when two young fairies and an unexpected danger brings the two back together? I do not own any of the characters or dialogue seen in the Secret of The Wings movie. More chapters coming soon! First 2 chapters suck but please keep reading!
1. Chapter 1

Clarion stood on her balcony as early morning sunlight bathed her in pale golden light. She smiled contentedly as she gazed out across the warm seasons and watched Pixie Hollow wake up. Fairies of every talent were beginning their work for the day. Except for Clarion. She stood barefoot with her chestnut hair hanging to her hips, still clad in her thin nightgown. She quickly left the balcony and returned to her bedroom to prepare herself for the day ahead. Every morning it was the same; Clarion woke up at the first hint of light on the horizon and watched the sunrise as it awakened Pixie Hollow.

After she put on her usual dress, she went to her vanity and ran a brush through her long hair before twisting it up into the usual bun on top of her head. Finally, she pulled an ornate wooden box from a shelf and opened it to reveal three intricately crafted golden crowns. She gently withdrew her favorite one and carefully placed it atop her head. Her three guards bowed respectfully as she exited her bedroom and stepped into the hall.

"Good Morning, Your Majesty, I trust you slept well?" The captain of her guard, Irideon, greeted her.

"I did, thank you. And yourself?" Clarion replied as she glided down the hall.

"I slept fine, Your Majesty. Should we wait for you in the Dining Room?"

"Actually Irideon, I was hoping to spend today alone if you don't mind?" Clarion looked at her faithful captain.

"Of course, my Queen."

"Thank you. Please tell Viola and Oak that they have the day off as well." Clarion waited until Irideon flew through the doors at the end of the hall before dissipating into golden dust and travelling to the very heart of the Pixie Dust Tree. Here, the Pixie Dust existed in its purest, rawest form. Only the Queen was permitted inside the Heart of the Tree, and only the Queen knew how to get there. She affectionately ran her hand along the ancient bark that glowed with dust, and felt the power of the Tree flow through her body - as the Queen, her essence was tied to that of the Tree's, and her bond with it was strong.

Clarion stayed just long enough to ensure that the Tree was supplying enough Dust for the fairies before returning to the main part of the Tree. She planned to keep extremely busy today, as the Snowy Owls would be arriving to take the Snowflake Baskets to the Winter Woods, and she knew that if she stayed to watch the majestic birds arrive, then she would be reminded of _him._ And that was one thing she vowed not to think about. And she didn't think about _him_, for the rest of the morning.

But then the Snowy Owls arrived.


	2. Chapter 2

**I know this chapter probably isn't that great, but I am trying to give a little insight to Clarion's way of thinking in that she tries very hard to control her emotions. Plus I am finding that although Clarion is my favorite character, she is MUCH harder to write about than Milori, so please review and send some suggestions :)**

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><p>Clarion was on her balcony with a steaming mug of chamomile tea when she heard the telltale whistles of the Snowy Owls. Unable to help herself, she jumped up and fixed her gaze on the ten majestic white birds as they flew over the Autumn Woods. There was a new one this year, she noticed. It was smaller than the rest, and was slightly uncoordinated in his flight. She watched transfixed as they extended their talons one by one and dropped out of view momentarily when they reached Tinker's Nook, before reappearing with the Snowflake Baskets clutched securely in their talons. Pumping their powerful wings, the owls headed back towards the Winter Woods as Clarion stared after them wistfully.<p>

A single tear spilled from the corner of her eye and ran down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and took a deep breath. It did no good to think about _him - _after all, it had been almost two hundred years. She turned away from the distant silhouettes of the Snowy Owls and walked slowly into her bedroom. She set her acorn mug on her vanity and entered the washroom, where she gripped the sides of her sink and glared at her reflection in the mirror.

"Get a grip. You are the Queen, and a queen does not cry over the loss of a relationship." She told herself firmly. She wet a peppermint leaf and pressed it to her face, letting the cool dampness take away the blotchy redness on her face. She stood there for several minutes holding the leaf, before she set it down and flitted down to the royal library. Only she and the seasonal ministers were allowed here, as the room served mainly as a meeting area. But for today, Clarion decided that she would simply find an interesting book and curl up on the sofa to read, something that she very rarely had the time to do.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's chapter 3! I tried to make it longer than my first two chapters, and I think this chapter is better than the first two b/c it gives a little bit more insight on how broken up Clarion really is, and reveals the strength of her friendship with Mary since she is the only one whom Clarion has revealed her emotions to so far. Please review! Anyway, Enjoy!**

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><p>The next day passed in much the same way. It was the off-season for the warm fairies, so Clarion didn't have much to do besides watch the Pixie Dust and read books. Sometimes, being a Queen could be a really uninteresting task, even for her. She loved watching over Pixie Hollow, loved watching every fairy and sparrow-man practice their talent. But every year, right after the Nature Talent fairies returned from delivering autumn to the Mainland, Clarion became almost depressed. She didn't directly govern the Winter Woods, and the warm fairies didn't take part in the preparations for winter, so after autumn was delivered to the Mainland, her daily tasks diminished greatly until it was time to prepare for spring.<p>

Around noon, a knock sounded against her bedroom door. Clarion set down her book, and went to open the door, where she found Viola, her messenger, waiting patiently.

"Why hello, Viola. What can I do for you?" Clarion greeted the petite fairy.

"Fairy Mary is here to see you, Milady. She's waiting downstairs." Viola informed respectfully.

"Thank you Viola, tell her I'll be right there."

Viola curtsied and flew off down the hall. Clarion smiled as she closed the door and quickly redid her hair in a neat bun. It had been awhile since she'd spoken with her dear friend, and she was happy that she had time to visit.

She found the plump tinker fairy in the sitting room with a worried expression.

"Mary, how are you?" Clarion greeted her friend as she entered the sitting room and sat in a comfortable chair. Mary startled a bit, as if Clarion had surprised her, which was unusual.

"Mary, is anything the matter? You seem worried." Clarion asked, placing her hand on Mary's arm in concern. Mary turned to her, and she could clearly see the worry in the tinker's eyes.

"I can't find Tinkerbell, your Highness. She didn't show up for work today, so I went to her house but she wasn't there. None of her friends have seen her, and Terence told me that she didn't even come to the Tree this morning to get her daily ration of Dust!" Mary exclaimed in a panic.

Clarion frowned ever so slightly. It was unlike Tinkerbell to not show up for work, and some fairy or another should have seen her somewhere. Nevertheless, she patted Mary's arm comfortingly and looked at her.

"I'm sure she's just gone off looking for more Lost Things, Mary. You know how inquisitive and adventurous she is. I'm sure she's fine."

"I can't believe I didn't think of that! She's probably down at the Cove. I'm terribly sorry for bothering you Clarion"

"Don't be, I wasn't bothered at all," Clarion assured her friend, "In fact, I was hoping you would visit. There isn't much to do since the Nature Talents returned from the Mainland. Do you have time to visit for a bit? I know you're quite busy…"

"I think Her Majesty is going a tad stir crazy." Mary chuckled.

"I'm afraid you may just be right!" Clarion laughed, "Would you like some tea, Mary?"

Later, as they both sat drinking warm mugs of lavender tea, Mary spoke up.

"I saw you watching the snowy owls yesterday, Clarion. Tell me honestly, how are you, Dear?

Clarion sighed, she couldn't hide anything from Mary. "It seems that no matter how hard I try, I can't stop thinking about him. I knew it would take time, but Mary, it's been almost two hundred years! What am I doing wrong?" She confessed with tears in her eyes.

"Oh, Clarion." Mary murmured as she wrapped her short arms around Clarion's shoulders, "You're not doing anything wrong."

"Then why can't I get over him?"

"Clarion, is there somewhere more private we can talk about this? You haven't been this upset since the day you two left each other, and I don't think your guards or the ministers should see you like this." Mary gently helped her stand.

Clarion nodded, her face red from trying to keep from crying, "My bedroom. Nobody is allowed in there unless I give permission."

She led Mary down two hallways, up three flights of stairs, and down yet another hallway before they got to her bedroom door. It was a simple wooden door that was nondescript, the only thing different about it was the golden door handle, while the other doors in the Tree had black handles. Clarion pushed the door open without hesitation and led Mary inside. Even though Mary was Clarion's closest friend, and had been for two hundred and thirty years, she had never once been in Clarion's personal quarters, and she was more or less shocked by what she saw. The room, while undoubtedly well suited for a queen, was remarkably simple. The furniture was nicer than most, but still closely resembled that of the other fairies'. The only truly remarkable thing about the room was the Pixie Dust that drifted like mist throughout the room. Clarion gestured to two comfortable looking chairs in the corner, and they both sat.

"Clarion, I think the reason you can't get over him is because - well, because it was a very traumatic event that caused you to have to say goodbye. It was very sudden." Mary began gently. Tears ran down Clarion's face as she silently wept, and Mary's voice faded away as her long-buried memory of that day surfaced in her head.

'_Ree, it'll be fine, I promise.'_

'_**I really don't think it's a good idea…'**_

'_My wings are frosted, nothing's going to happen.' He stepped over the border into spring. She gave in at the sight of his wide grin as they flew through the cherry blossom trees of Springtime Square. She took him to Summer Glade, where Tinker's Nook was located, and introduced him to Mary._

'_**Are you having fun?'**__ She asked giddily as they left summer._

'_It's amazing! I never realized how vibrant and diverse the Warm Seasons are! C'mon, I'll race you to the Pixie Dust Tree!'__He took off before she could reply, and she noticed that the coating of frost on his wings was all but melted completely. She flew after him quickly, wanting to warn him. But just as she caught up with him, he suddenly went limp and spiraled toward the grass._

'_**NO!'**__ She screamed in fear, and she shot to the ground, where he lay in a crumpled heap in the grass. His pale skin was flushed and clammy, and he breathed in quick gasps. _

'_**Milori please, please….you have to get up, you have to get back to winter! Please, Milori, get up!'**__ She begged desperately. He slowly sat up, his face pained, and she helped him stand. His wings were shriveled and damp._

'_I can't feel my wings.' He slurred in exhaustion._

'_**Come on, I'll get you back to the border! You'll be okay.'**_

_He stubbornly tried to open his wings to fly back to winter. He lifted a few feet into the air, and then Clarion's heart stopped as a wet ripping noise filled the air for a split second. And then he fell back to the ground with a cry of pain._

Clarion would never forget the sound of his wing tearing or his cry of pain. They wove through her dreams most nights, and she always woke up in a cold sweat.

"Clarion? Clarion, are you alright?" Her eyes focused on Mary, who was hovering anxiously in front of her.

"I'm fine Mary, I'm just suddenly extremely tired. I think it was the lavender tea." Clarion lied, not wanting her friend to see how torn up she was inside.

"Well, maybe it would be a good idea for you to take a quick rest. Neverland knows something has probably happened down in the workshop in my absence anyway. Will you be okay dear?" Mary asked.

Clarion nodded, and escorted Mary out so that she wouldn't get lost in the maze of hallways in the Pixie Dust Tree. She returned to her room, locked the door, and collapsed on her bed. She broke down and let the sobs tear through her chest. In a weird way, it felt good to let all of her heartbreak and loneliness and guilt out for just a few minutes. It was her fault that his wing was broken, and there was nothing that could take away that feeling of despair.

Eventually, after what felt like hours, she cried out all her tears and drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

** Yay! I'm getting a lot of views to this story, more than my first story, but I've only gotten three reviews :( This chapter is the longest one yet, so hopefully it encourages you guys to leave some comments! I think this chapter is the best one so far, so ENJOY! :) (Remember, I do not own any of the Tinkerbell characters or dialogue that is seen in the Tinkerbell movies)**

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><p>Clarion awoke before sunrise the next morning. She sat up in bed, rubbing her head where her tiara had pressed into her hair all night. Pale moonlight spilled into her room through her window. She removed her crown and placed it in the box on her shelf and let her hair out of her bun. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, she sat at her vanity and began brushing the tangles and knots from her hair. She got ready slowly, taking far more time than necessary to prepare for the day ahead.<p>

She was calmly eating a belated breakfast later that morning when Viola suddenly burst into the dining room. Clarion shot to her feet as she noticed Viola's panicked face.

"Viola, dear, whatever is the matter?" She exclaimed, for Viola had never acted like this in all the years she had known her.

"Your Majesty, there's trouble at the Winter Border! Tinkerbell brought a Winter Fairy across the border!" Viola informed her breathlessly. Clarion's blood ran cold and her eyes grew wide.

"No!" She gasped in horror. She threw her napkin down and flew out through the window. She was twice as fast as any fast-flying fairy, and swiftly reached the edge of the Autumn Woods. She slowed as the sound of voices reached her ears and folded her hands in front of her.

"Lord Milori! Your rule will _not_ keep us apart!" Tinkerbell's voice rang out defiantly.

"Tinkerbell!" Clarion flew out of the trees. Tinkerbell turned quickly, her eyes wide in shock.

"This is not Lord Milori's rule." Clarion corrected, forcing herself not to react as she said _his_ name for the first time in almost two hundred years, "It's mine."

"Queen Clarion…." The young fairy pleaded in confusion.

"I'm sorry." She said softly. Tinkerbell turned to look at the petite Winter Fairy, and Clarion followed her gaze. The fairy had white hair and pale blue eyes, like many of the winter fairies, but Clarion was shocked to see that her pale face was identical to Tinkerbell's. She forced herself not to look at the tall sparrow-man standing beside her as he spoke for the first time since she'd arrived.

"You should get deeper into the cold. Back to the north side of the mountain." He gently advised the tiny fairy, gesturing toward the snow-covered trees behind him. The fairy turned and began walking toward the snowy forest, and Tinkerbell flitted to the very edge of the border as she turned and looked back at the blonde Tinker. Clarion's heart throbbed painfully as the winter fairy suddenly turned and ran back to Tinkerbell. The two fairies' wings softly lit up as they embraced each other, and her breath caught. '_It can't be….they're _sisters!'

The white-haired fairy stepped back and flew away a moment later, with Tinkerbell and her friends disappearing a second later. Only after the last fairy's glow was out of sight did Clarion finally turn to look at _him._ He gazed back at her sadly, and he was even more handsome than she remembered. He wore a cape now, she noticed, made out of Snowy Owl feathers. Knowing that if she stayed any longer she would break down, she dropped her gaze and flew after the other Warm Fairies. She fought the tears trying to spill from her eyes as she returned to the Pixie Dust Tree in silence. Irideon took one look at her somber expression when she reached the Tree and flitted to her side in concern.

"My Queen, are the fairies alright? Viola told me what happened." He began walking beside her as she made for the stairs to her chambers.

"No one was harmed. I'd like to be alone right now, if you don't mind, Irideon." Clarion replied softly, unable to completely mask the hurt she was feeling. Her captain saw this and quickly bowed before flying away.

Clarion entered her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She walked a few steps towards her bed, before falling to her knees and curling up into a ball on her floor, unable to control her grief any longer. Seeing him standing there after so many years apart had reopened the invisible scars she had kept buried for so long. Gut-wrenching sobs tore from her chest as she remembered.

'_**This is my fault, I never should have let you cross.'**_

'_It's not your fault, it's mine, I knew better.'_

'_**But I should have said no, I should have stopped you. If only I'd gotten you back to the Border faster.'**_

'_Stop blaming yourself, I certainly don't.' He reached across the border to take her hand, but she stepped back, out of his reach. He looked at her in confusion as she suddenly replaced the sadness on her face with an expressionless mask. _

'_**We can't do this anymore.'**__ Her voice was calm and collected, but she knew he could still hear to tiny trace of devastation in it._

'_What do you mean?' _ His voice held a small tremor of fear.

'**We can't keep seeing each other. It's too dangerous.' **

'_No…we just won't cross again. It'll be fine.' He pleaded._

'_**It's only a matter of time until something else happens.'**_

'_No, please….you don't have to go…'_

'_**I'm sorry.' **__She whispered. She walked to the very edge of the Border, and softly pressed her lips to his cool mouth one last time. __**'I love you Milori.'**__ She moved out of his reach and dissipated into Pixie Dust, leaving him standing at the border._

Clarion wrapped her arms around her chest and took deep breaths to control her tears as her next memory came to her.

'_From this day forward, any crossing to or from the Winter Border will be strictly forbidden. The risks are too great for me to allow it.' She stood on a balcony addressing every Warm Fairy in Pixie Hollow. There were murmurs of shock and confusion from the fairies, even though very few of them had ever even gone to the Border. _

_Clarion left the balcony and went to her study, where she retrieved a single page of parchment, a feather quill, and a small well of ink. Refusing to feel any emotion, she began to write._

'_Lord Milori of the Winter Woods,_

_I regret to inform you that from this day forward, no fairy shall be allowed to cross to or from the Winter Border. I simply cannot allow such risks to be taken by any fairy, from any season. Please inform the Winter Fairies as soon as possible._

_Sincerely,_

_Queen Clarion of Pixie Hollow'_

_She let the ink dry, then folded the letter and delivered it to a messenger bird with instructions to take it to Milori. The robin returned less than an hour later with a thin sheet of ice. Clarion took the rapidly melting message and read it quickly._

'_Queen Clarion,_

_I have no choice but to agree with you; it is too dangerous for fairies to cross. I will be addressing my fairies as you read this._

_Sincerely,_

_Lord Milori'_

Clarion sighed as she sat up. Reliving those memories made her realize that she wasn't the only one in the Warm Seasons who was heartbroken right now. She made her way to her washroom and splashed cool water on her face and tidied her hair. She flew slowly down to the study and summoned Viola.

"You requested my presence, Milady?" Viola asked as she entered the room.

"May you please fetch Tinkerbell and have her meet me in here?"

"Of course, your Highness." Viola quickly left in the direction of Tinker's Nook. Clarion stood at the window and stared out over spring. A cool breeze blew through the window, which was unusual, but she didn't think anything of it. She only had to wait ten minutes before she heard the flutter of fairy wings enter the study. She closed her eyes for just a moment, but didn't turn around as the young Tinker fairy landed.

"Queen Clarion…_why_?" The blonde fairy asked in anguish as she walked closer to her.

"Tinkerbell," Clarion began gently as she turned to look at her, beckoning her to stand beside her before turning back to the window, "Long ago, when Pixie Hollow was very young, two fairies met and fell in love. One of them was a Winter Fairy, and the other was from the Warm Seasons. The two fairies were enchanted with each other, and every sunset they met at the border where spring touches winter. But as their love grew stronger, they wished to be together, and share each other's worlds. So they disregarded the danger and crossed." She paused and took a deep breath before looking at Tinkerbell and continuing, "One of them broke a wing," she turned away from the window when Tinkerbell gasped quietly, "For which there is no cure. From that day forward I decreed that fairies must never again cross the border, and Lord Milori agreed that our two worlds should forever remain apart."

"And, the two fairies? What happened to them?" The Tinker asked. Clarion kept her back to Tinkerbell and hung her head. Her large wings drooped as she hesitated momentarily before answering.

"They had to say goodbye." She said, looking over her shoulder at Tinkerbell's devastated face. The young fairy's wings fell, and she turned to the window. Clarion was debating whether to leave her alone when Tinkerbell suddenly gasped in fearful shock. Clarion was at her side in an instant. She followed Tinkerbell's gaze and gave a sharp intake of breath when she saw the tiny white specs swirling lightly in the suddenly cool air. _Snow._

"Tinkerbell, come with me!" She flew out the window, not waiting for an answer. She resisted the urge to take off at full speed and stayed just slow enough that Tinkerbell could keep up. Soon they were racing through the Autumn Woods.

"We saw the snow!" Tinkerbell's friend, a light fairy named Iridessa, exclaimed as she joined up with them. The three seasonal ministers caught up a second later.

"Queen Clarion, something's wrong!" Sunflower, the minster of summer called.

"The temperature, it seems to be plummeting!" Redleaf, minister of autumn, worriedly informed.

"The Hibiscus are halfway to hibernation!" Sunflower exclaimed.

"Now, now, ministers, let's not panic." Clarion soothed with all the calm she could muster.

"Absolutely right—"Hyacinth, the panicky minister of spring agreed, but then he screamed in a panic, "Snow!"

Clarion looked up to see a huge vortex of arctic wind and snow spinning over the stream that separated winter from autumn. She faintly heard voices shouting over the screaming wind.

"Put your muscle into it Clanky!" She recognized Phineas, affectionately known as Bobble, and Clank, two Tinker sparrow-men, struggling with what appeared to be Tinkerbell's snow machine from earlier that day. Tinkerbell raced down to help them.

"Guys! Down here!" Clarion heard her shout to her friends, who hurriedly joined her near the waterfall. The six fairies dove underneath the machine and she watched along with the ministers as they struggled to push it over the edge of the waterfall. Moments later, it crashed into the water below and sank out of view. Clarion's shoulders started to sag in relief, but then she noticed Vidia, a fast-flier who was known for her snarky attitude, point in horror to the log that the snow machine had been jammed against. Clarion tensed as she noticed crystalline ice spreading over to the warm side of the stream.

"The seasons have been thrown out of balance!" She gasped, crossing her arms in front of her chest as cold air drifted around her and the ministers.

"But if the temperatures continue to drop, it will freeze all of Pixie Hollow!" Hyacinth fearfully exclaimed. An icy tree branch broke off and fell to the ground as if to validate his words.

"Queen Clarion, the Pixie Dust Tree!" Redleaf realized in fear. Clarion gasped as she realized what he meant. She spun around and raced through the Autumn Woods.

"We must hope the Tree survives the freeze," She told the ministers as she flew, "Otherwise there will be no more Pixie Dust. Life in Pixie Hollow will change forever, and no fairy will ever fly again." She saw both them and Tinkerbell and her friends stare at her, horrorstruck at what she'd just said. "Hurry, we must do everything we can!"

Clarion turned and quickly flew back to the Tree. She was scared, both for herself and for the rest of the fairies. If the Tree died, then she would too. She heard Mary shouting to be heard over the strong gusts of wind, directing the fairies to lay blankets along the Tree's immense branches. Clarion put her fear aside and rushed to help the others.


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's Chapter 5! Sorry for the long-ish wait, had to write an essay for my English Class at school :( Please refer to my other story, Healing a Frozen Heart, if you have questions about Milori. _!PLEASE X10 R&R!_  
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><p>The air grew colder by the minute, and Clarion found herself shivering constantly as she tried to help her fairies place the blankets over the Tree. Mary noticed her violently shudder as a strong blast of wind tore through the branches.<p>

"Your Majesty, please go inside! We can handle this!" Mary suggested in concern for her friend. Clarion shook her head.

"I will not abandon my fairies just to save myself!" She declared even as she shuddered again. At that moment, the wind blew a layer of blankets into the air, and her hand shot out to catch one as it blew past.

"Queen Clarion! It's not working!" Clank cried as he and Bobble flew over to her.

"The wind, it's too strong!" Bobble declared in his strong accent. Clarion's face fell as she clutched the blanket in both hands. The season that she still loved so much was apparently to be the death of her and the Tree. A deep growl made her look up, and she inhaled sharply as a large smoky gray lynx climbed into the Tree. She quickly handed her blanket to Mary and rushed forward.

"Tinkerbell!" She cried, noticing the Tinker perched behind the lynx's tufted ears. Now was not the time to be fooling around!

"Queen Clarion! They can help!" Tinkerbell exclaimed as she leapt off the cat and ran to her, followed by her white-haired sister and two other winter fairies.

"Our frost, it covers like a blanket! It can protect the Tree!" Tinkerbell's petite sister hurriedly explained. Clarion glanced quickly behind her at the Pixie Dust Flower, where the golden dust was still cascading down the trunk of the ancient tree. She turned back to the white-haired fairy.

"Do it." She said to the three winter fairies. They stood hand-in-hand for just a moment as they looked at each other, before shooting into the air heading in different directions. Clarion watched Tinkerbell's sister hopefully as she flew straight to the Pixie Dust Flower and began trailing her hands along every inch of it. She stood fascinated as silvery frost shot from the girl's fingertips and spread along the Tree, occasionally catching glimpses of the other two as they raced to frost the Tree. The creaking of ice reached her ears, and she looked towards the Autumn Woods where it bordered the light pink cherry blossoms of spring. Her heart pounded in her ears as she watched the deadly ice steadily advancing towards them.

"It's getting colder!" Fawn, an animal fairy with a long braid, whimpered.

"Let's hand out the blankets! They'll keep us warm!" Tinkerbell instructed as she looked up at her sister, "Hurry, Peri! Hurry!"

Clarion stood with her eyes fixed on the advancing freeze as Tinkerbell threw a blanket at a passing fairy, ordering her to cover her wings, and ran over to where the two white-haired fairies had landed in front of Clarion.

"The Tree! It's too big! We're never going to make it!" The black-haired winter fairy breathlessly exclaimed as she joined them. Tinkerbell and her sister, Peri, turned to look at Clarion.

"I'm sorry…" Peri whispered in remorse. Clarion's wings fell in defeat, but before she could say anything, an owl's whistling call cut through the air. She looked up, back at the freezing autumn trees, as a single white owl emerged from the fog. Her eyes widened as she noticed a lone rider perched behind the owl's head. Eight more owls appeared in a V-formation behind him, followed by dozens of golden fairy glows. Clarion's heart skipped a beat, then two, as she unconsciously clasped both hands over her chest. The other fairies let out sighs of relief as they noticed the Winter Fairies flying towards the Tree. Clarion's face softened in surprised relief, and a soft smile replaced the line of tension over her mouth. Her wings gave a soft flutter when she saw the white owl-feather cape billowing out behind the owl-rider, and Peri raced away from the Tree to meet the arriving fairies. Clarion watched as she gave what seemed like instructions to the owl-rider. In response, he gestured out to the non-frozen parts of the Warm Seasons and then shouted something as he flung his arm in the direction of the Tree. The winter fairies split up and fanned out across the warm seasons, frosting everything they touched. She stared in awe as she saw him lift his left arm into the air as he flew around the Pixie Dust Tree and shot a stream of sparkling frost from his hand. It was nearly three times the width of the other fairies' and covered almost a fifth of the huge tree in one pass.

The winter fairies joined the warm fairies in the Tree as they finished frosting Pixie Hollow. She felt a branch shudder, and looked to see a large, magnificent Snowy Owl land in the Tree. He wore a silver and blue jeweled necklace around his neck, and his round yellow eyes shone with intelligence. His rider leapt from his back, and Clarion's attention shifted fully to the tall muscular sparrow-man as he strode purposefully toward her and the warm fairies huddled behind her.

"The freeze is upon us, you must take cover." He ordered. The warm fairies rushed to shelter themselves inside a large room in one of the thickest branches. Clarion glanced worriedly at the Dust as it slowed to a faint trickle, then turned to face _him_ as he cautiously approached her.

"Will everything be alright?" She asked softly, her voice tight with worry. He stopped two or three feet away from her.

"I don't know, I've never seen anything like this." He answered truthfully, meeting her eyes in concern. Another violent shiver racked her body, and he immediately pulled off his cape and draped it over her thin shoulders. She glanced at the frost covered bark beneath her feet, and then peered into his worried brown eyes.

"Thank you Milori." She breathed with a soft smile.

"Please, take cover." He begged, and she turned away from him to take shelter in the Tree. She paused after a few steps and looked back at him. He was walking away from her, and she saw the full extent of his jagged, broken right wing for the first time. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes filled with tears, and she had to force herself to continue to her shelter in the depths of the Tree. His deep accented voice reached her as she pulled a frosted leaf down to cover the opening to her hideout. She heard him command the winter fairies to stand guard against the oncoming freeze, and then she quickly ran down a narrow flight of steps. Only her golden glow lit the way in front of her, and when she reached the bottom of the stairs, she transformed into a glowing ball of Pixie Dust and traveled to the Heart of the Tree. Clarion ran her hand along the sparkling bark, and knelt down in the knee-deep golden Dust that covered the floor. She closed her eyes, and the Tree sensed her distress. The air hummed with energy as every last spec of glittering Dust flooded to the center of the Tree. She sat there surrounded by shimmering gold for what felt like hours until the Dust slowly began to trickle back towards the Tree's tiny veins. Cautiously, she stood and dissipated into Dust. She slowly made her way to the entrance of her hideout, Milori's cape draped over one shoulder. The Pixie Dust Flower was frozen and dormant before her.

She joined the other fairies below the Flower as they emerged from their hiding places in various parts of the Tree. She felt a cool presence approach her from behind, and knew it was Milori. Clarion kept her eyes trained on the Flower, and saw from the corner of her eye that he did the same. Everyone waited in hopeful anticipation as the ice-encased Flower slowly dripped melted ice. For a few moments, nothing happened. Then, just as her hope began to fade, the Tree rumbled and fresh Pixie Dust exploded from the Flower in a glorious shimmering waterfall. Clarion's face lit up with a radiant smile as the fairies cheered, and she felt to the urge to join them as they flew in loops and spins around the Tree, but she stayed on the ground next to Milori when she saw the slight wistfulness in his eyes. Together they watched their fairies celebrate happily. Then, she noticed Milori's eyes widen ever so slightly in concern as he focused on something in front of him.

"Tink! Come on!" She heard Peri shout excitedly. Clarion followed Milori's gaze, and she blinked in confusion when she noticed Tinkerbell standing alone a few feet away with sadness in her eyes.

"Tink?" Peri asked as she landed in front of her sister, "What's wrong?"

In answer, Tinkerbell turned her back to Peri and slowly began to remove her coat. Clarion's smile melted off her face and she watched the young fairy anxiously as she realized what Tinkerbell was doing. _'No….It can't be…'_

The blonde fairy let her coat fall to the ground, and Peri let out a strangled gasp as her hands flew to her mouth.

"When you flew to winter…that's why you fell." She realized. By now, all of the other fairies had landed and were watching the sisters in disbelief. Clarion's gaze fell to Tinkerbell's wings, and she noticed the tear that was halfway down the Tinker's left wing.

"Oh no…" She whispered, her face contorting in anguish.

"Oh, Tinkerbell…" She distantly heard Mary murmur.

"Tink…Why didn't you tell me?" Peri asked as she moved to stand in front of her sister. Tinkerbell finally looked up to meet her eyes and tried to smile without success.

"We had to save the Tree." She replied, "Besides, there's no cure for a broken wing."

Clarion sucked in a breath as Tinkerbell repeated the words she'd said earlier that day, when she'd told her the story behind the Border Law.

"I'm so sorry." Peri whispered, wrapping her arms around Tinkerbell.

Clarion started to step forward, but paused when she felt a large, cold hand on her shoulder. She looked up at Milori as he moved to stand beside her.

"This happened because we tried to keep you apart." He said, and she could hear the regret in his deep voice as he stared at the two young fairies.

"But never again, you belong together." She finished for him, taking a small step forward. A single tear escaped Tinkerbell's eyes as she smiled slightly at her sister. At that moment, a strong beam of sunlight broke through the dense branches above them.

"It's getting warmer, you should get back to winter." Tinkerbell said softly.

"Yeah." Peri sighed quietly. She turned away and began to walk away.

"Hey, I'll be okay." Tinkerbell said, "I'll meet you tomorrow at the border."

Peri turned back to her sister with a small smile, "Sisters?"

"Sisters." Tink replied. They stood back to back, Peri using her wing to lift up her sister's broken one. Their identical wings began to glow and sparkle. The light focused around the center of both girls' wings, and they jumped apart in surprise.

"Jingles!" They exclaimed. Clarion's eyes widened as she noticed a tiny spark illuminating the break line on Tinkerbell's wing, slowly fusing it back together as it traveled along the tear. The spark extinguished itself about halfway to the edge of her wing, and the girls pressed their wings together once more, and Clarion watched hopefully as the light grew blindingly bright, unable to tear her eyes away from the amazing spectacle.

When they stepped apart again, her mouth fell open the slightest bit upon seeing Tinkerbell's wing completely healed. She slipped her hand into Milori's, knowing how hard it was for him to watch another fairy's wing heal when his never would. He turned his head to look at her, and she stared back with love in her eyes.

Unable to resist him any longer, Clarion stood on her tiptoes and softly pressed her lips to his cool mouth. He hesitated for just a second before returning her kiss, snaking his arm around her waist and pulling her close. She inhaled the scent of evergreen on his pale skin, but then remembered that they had an audience and started to pull away. She tried to take a step back, but he captured her lips in another searing kiss. He suddenly released her as if he had only just remembered that they weren't alone, and she looked up at him, a rosy blush creeping over her face. She took a small step back, and he chuckled quietly as he stepped with her, keeping her in his arms.

"Oh, Queen Cla-rion!" Mary exclaimed in surprised delight.

"Wow, I didn't know they were gonna do the smoochee-smoochety," Milori's old friend, Dewey, said with a wink, "Guess they're tellin' people now."

Clarion looked at Milori when he released his hold on her and stepped back. Knowing what he was about to do, she smiled softly in encouragement. He walked over to Tinkerbell and placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to him in surprise and he knelt down so he was eye-level with her.

"Tinkerbell, you have no idea how happy I am for you, that you were spared the pain and heartache of a broken wing. I felt sick to my stomach when I noticed you alone on the ground, and I wanted to scream when you took off your jacket, because I had sworn that I would never let another fairy break a wing, but at the same time…"

"At the same time, you were secretly relieved that you weren't the only one?" Tinkerbell finished for him.

He nodded, "I promise you that I will never bear any ill-will towards you for regaining your flight."

He stood up and had turned back to Clarion when Tinkerbell spoke up.

"Lord Milori?" He turned around to see the blonde fairy looking up at him, "Are you the fairy in the story?"

He opened his mouth, about to answer, but Clarion spoke up.

"Yes, we are." She said. Tinkerbell's eyes grew wide.

"Queen Clarion, you were the Warm Fairy?" She asked in disbelief. Clarion nodded, smiling slightly as the young fairy looked between her and Milori for a second before flying away and beckoning her friends to follow. Soon, the Tree was empty except for Clarion and Milori – all the other Winter Fairies had returned home when the sun started to warm the air.

Clarion turned to Milori when he wrapped his strong arms around her. "I have missed you more than you can possibly imagine, Ree." He said softly.

"I tried not to think about you, and for a while it worked, since I was always busy. But after a while, you began to creep into my thoughts, and I dreamt about you every night. It's my fault you broke your wing." Clarion whispered. He pulled into an embrace, and she buried her face in his chest and let the tears fall from her eyes. He ran his cool fingers across her cheek and kissed her forehead.

"Shhh, I'm here now my darling. I promise you, I will never leave you ever again." He murmured as he held her. Her sobs began to subside, and when she lifted her head to look at him through tear-stained lashes, he leaned down and captured her lips, kissing her hungrily. Clarion closed her eyes and clung to him as she ran her hands up his back. But she froze when her fingers touched the jagged edge of his broken wing.

"Shhh, don't think about that now." He murmured against her mouth, tightening his arms around her. After a moment, she sighed and continued running her hands up his back, avoiding his broken wing. He kissed her jawline, and began to trail kisses down her neck. He gently grazed his teeth against her delicate skin as he reached her collarbone, and she gasped, letting out a low moan of pleasure when he did it again. He kissed her softly one last time before pulling away.

"I love you, Ree." He said, his voice husky from kissing her.

"As I love you, Milori." She replied, gazing at him with starry eyes and running a hand through his snow-colored hair. He smiled tenderly at her, before reaching up and wiping his brow. Clarion suddenly noticed how flushed and clammy his skin was getting, and she stared at him in concern.

"You're too warm." She realized anxiously.

"I'm fine, it's nothing." Milori replied. She stepped back and met his eyes.

"It's not fine, Milori." She told him, taking his hand in her own, "Please, go back to winter."

"I don't want to leave you, I can deal with it." He begged.

"Please, Milori, go back." She pleaded anxiously, "I'll meet you tomorrow at the Border."

She lurched forward to catch him when he stumbled forward from dizziness.

"At sunset?" He murmured in fatigue. She smiled softly and placed her hand on his cheek.

"At sunset." She promised. She helped him walk back to his patiently waiting owl. The majestic white bird looked concerned for his master as Clarion helped him climb on. She waited until he had placed his shaking hands on the silver necklace around the bird's neck before stepping back and meeting the owl's eyes.

"Take him home." She told him quietly. She watched as the owl pushed off the branch and into the air with a few strong flaps of his wings. She stood still until the owl finally disappeared from view as he passed over the distant Winter Border.

Clarion flew through the Tree up to her bedroom. She worried for her lover and knew that it would be an agonizing wait until she could meet him the next day at sunset.


	6. Chapter 6

**YAY I FINALLY finished chapter 6! Just so you guys know, there is an intimate scene at the end of this chapter, but they don't do anything (yet). I have written an M-rated chapter to continue the end of this chapter, but I have not posted it yet. If y'all want me to post it, let me know and I'll post it separately on my profile. This chapter isn't as good as chapters 4 and 5, but I was REALLY struggling with writer's block, sorry! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LEAVE SOME REVIEWS GUYS! :) please x100 R&R **

**10/13/14 hey guys sorry I haven't updated in a few weeks I've just been way too busy with horse show season in full swing and my college application being sent out and waiting for a reply! I promise I will add chapter 7 as soon as I have time to sit down for 10 minutes lol! I haven't forgotten about y'all, and I haven't given up on the story ;)**

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><p>Clarion spent most of the next morning in autumn, surveying the damage done to the maple and aspen trees. Redleaf accompanied her, along with Irideon.<p>

"Thank goodness the freeze only damaged around the edges of both autumn and spring, otherwise we would be looking at a major problem." She said, looking around at the brittle branches that had fallen to the ground.

"I agree. The Winter Fairies were able to save almost 90% of the Warm Seasons!" Redleaf replied. Clarion looked around at the Nature Talent fairies working to restore what had been lost in the freeze, before stopping and turning to Redleaf.

"I can see that everything here is well under control. If you'll excuse me, there are matters I must handle back at the Tree, Minister."

"Of course, your Majesty." Redleaf bowed. Clarion beckoned to Irideon and began flying back to the Tree. She wondered what Milori was doing, and if the day was passing as slowly for him as it was for her.

"My Queen, I have a letter for you." Viola's voice broke into her thoughts. Clarion blinked in surprise before smiling at Viola.

"From who? I wasn't expecting a letter from anyone." She inquired good-naturedly.

"It's from Lord Milori of the Winter Woods, Milady."

Clarion's heart thudded against her chest as she took the small piece of parchment. Viola bowed and fluttered away to let her read the letter in private. Clarion clutched the letter to her chest and glided to the study. She desperately to know what Milori had written, but at the same time, she was afraid to read it. What if he didn't want to meet at the Border anymore? Surely he didn't want to be with her again. After all, she had cost him his wing. She held the paper in trembling hands, and took deep breaths to calm herself. Thankfully, she was alone in the study, and didn't have to worry about anyone seeing her – the queen of Pixie Hollow – having a nervous breakdown over a sparrow-man's letter. Shutting out the worried thoughts swirling around in her head, she took a seat in one of the many plush chairs, and unfolded the parchment.

_Bring your jacket._

_Love,_

_Milori_

That was all he'd said. Clarion touched a finger to the elegant, yet rugged, script that she hadn't seen since she'd instilled the Border Law two hundred years ago. She smiled as she carefully folded Milori's letter and took it up to her room.

She tucked the letter into her desk drawer and immediately set about searching for her winter coat. It had been over a hundred years since she'd last worn it, and she couldn't precisely recall where she had stowed it away.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of fruitless searching, her hand brushed a bundle of champagne-colored cloth. With a grin, she pulled the winter coat out of the old wooden trunk.

As soon as the sky began to turn pink with the setting sun, Clarion flew off her balcony and shot towards the Winter Border. She spun loops in the air and twisted through trees. Countless fairies stopped and stared, never having seen their queen so excited, but she paid them no heed.

She waited for him at the very edge of winter, and traced designs in the powdery snow in front of her. She didn't have to wait long – a Snowy Owl landed almost silently at the edge of the Winter Woods after only ten minutes. His rider jumped to the ground, and Clarion stood up as he approached her. He pulled her into a crushing embrace, which she gladly accepted. He pulled back after a few moments and gazed at her with loving chocolate eyes.

"Sunset could not come fast enough." Clarion whispered, and he smiled as he leaned down for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her lower back and drew her close. She felt his cool tongue ghost across her lips, and she opened her mouth just the slightest bit, giving him permission. Their tongues tangled together, and she slipped her arms around his back. But he froze when she slid her hands under his shirt. He pulled back and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Not here, Clarion," He said softly but firmly, "Someone will see."

Clarion's face bloomed carnation pink, and she looked around quickly to make sure no fairy was spying on them. He was right, the Border was most definitely not a private location. She dropped her gaze to the snow beneath her, but he placed his finger under her chin and tilted her face up to look at him.

"Did you bring your coat?" He murmured. She nodded and picked it up from where she'd dropped it. He took it from her, and picked up a pair of scissors that she hadn't known were there.

"Milori? What are you doing?" She asked anxiously as he swiftly cut two slits in the back of her coat and handed it back to her.

"Put your wings through the holes and turn your back to me." Milori instructed, sidestepping her question.

"Milori?" She inquired.

"I'm going to frost your wings so they don't get damaged in the cold." He explained with a smile. Clarion looked at him in slight confusion.

"Are you sure it works?" She asked.

"Positive. I, uh, had Periwinkle and Tinkerbell test it out this morning. Tinkerbell told me that she didn't even feel the cold on her wings once Peri frosted them. I know I should have asked you if Tinkerbell was allowed to test my idea, but I wanted to surprise you."

She was speechless, and when Milori held out his hand, she placed hers in his palm and stepped gracefully over the border. He turned her around, and lightly ran his hands along her wings until they were thoroughly protected in his frost. She turned around and followed him to his waiting owl.

"He's so soft." She marveled, stroking the bird's downy plumage. She looked up to see Milori already sitting on the owl's back with his hand extended down to her. She took his hand and he helped her on to the owl, waiting until she had settled behind him before sending the bird into the air. Clarion laughed in delight at the scene below them as the owl soared above the trees.

"Should I show you around?" Milori asked her, and she nodded eagerly, never having been in winter before.

The two lovers spent the last few hours of daylight in the sky as Milori excitedly showed her his world. Clarion gazed around in awe as he showed her places like Frost Forest, Glacier Pass, and winter's Pixie Dust supply. When the moon began to appear in the darkening sky, Milori steered his owl in a new direction.

"Where are we going now?" Clarion asked curiously, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"I'm taking you to my home. It's on the north side of the mountain." He replied, turning his head to smile at her.

Clarion gasped quietly as a palace of ice came into view. Although it was really too small to be called a palace, there was no other word to describe the beautiful structure. Milori guided the owl downward, and they landed in the soft snow in front of his home. He dismounted, and helped her slide to the ground.

"This is where you live?" She asked in awe.

"Yes, I built it after we…." He trailed off, and Clarion understood that he had built it after she had left him all those years ago.

"It's beautiful Milori. It's smaller than I would have imagined, but then, you never were one for much company."

"Do you want to go inside?" He asked with a grin, taking her hand. She smiled, and let him lead her through the door. She looked around in wonder as he led her throughout the rooms. When they reached the end of the upstairs hall, he turned to her.

"What did you think?" He inquired softly.

"I think that you," She snaked her arms around his waist and pulled him closer, "Are quite the architect."

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her, their lips colliding gently. He wrapped his arms around her and nipped her bottom lip, making her shiver in response. She clung to him desperately as their lips parted and their tongues tangled together. She slipped her hands under his shirt and let them glide up his back. He groaned in pleasure, and trailed kisses down her neck until he reached her collarbone. There he grazed his teeth slowly along her skin and kissed her delicate flesh. She gasped and her body tensed momentarily before relaxing again as he continued to kiss her. Her hands clutched at his shirt, wanting him desperately.

"Milori" She breathed against his lips, opening her eyes and gazing into his warm brown eyes, silently pleading with him, wanting more. Without breaking their kiss, Milori reached behind him and opened the door to a bedroom that she assumed was his. He pulled her inside, and closed the door.


End file.
